What is Children’s Special Health Care Services (CSHCS)?

CSHCS is a program within the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS). It is for children and some adults with special health care needs and their families.

The CSHCS Program:

Focuses on family-centered services for over 2,600 diagnoses

Pays for specialty medical bills

Provides help finding specialty services

Supports coordination of services

Helps families with language and cultural differences

Assists in locating resources

Connects families to community-based services through local health departments

Who is eligible for CSHCS?

Several factors decide whether a person is eligible for CSHCS:

Children and some adults with certain eligible medical conditions as determined by CSHCS doctors

Families of all incomes are eligible to join, including those with other health insurance

Some families, based on their income, pay a fee to join CSHCS (local health departments can explain what CSHCS is likely to cover to help determine if this fee to join will be worthwhile)

Residency: Must be a Michigan resident

Citizenship: Must be a US citizen or documented non-citizen admitted for permanent residence or a non-citizen legally admitted migrant farm worker (i.e., seasonal agricultural worker)

Age: Children must have a qualifying medical condition and be 20 years old or under. Persons 21 and older with cystic fibrosis or certain hereditary blood coagulation disorders commonly known as hemophilia may also qualify.

Qualifying Medical condition: A MDHHS medical consultant reviews each case to determine eligibility. Severity and chronicity of the person's condition as well as the need for treatment by a specialist are factors considered. More than 2,500 diagnoses are potentially eligible.

How to apply for CSHCS

Have the patient’s specialist send a medical report to CSHCS

If there is no specialist yet, call the Calhoun County Public Health Department at 269-969-6390 or the Family Phone Line at 1-800-359-3722

A CSHCS doctor will review the medical report and decide if the patient qualifies for CSHCS

If the patient is eligible, an application will be mailed to the patient/family

When the application is received, the patient or family must complete and return the application to CSHCS. Coverage cannot begin until the application is completed and returned to CSHCS

Those needing help completing the application can call the Calhoun County Public Health Department at (269) 969-6384 or the Family Phone Line at 1-800-359-3722